Poland

Read more about The organisation of the academic year

The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Poland is as follows:

Beginning of the academic year	1 October (set in the national legislation)
Period(s) when there are teaching activities	October - February; February/March- June
Period(s) of examination

National Information

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Academic year
Type of support

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Minimum, maximum, and most common annual fee amounts (in EUR)

Cycle
Type of Students
Status of Students

FEES

Full-time students in Poland do not pay tuition fees. Most students are charged one-time administrative fees. In addition, a public university may charge fees for educational services related to: repetition of specific classes in full-time studies due to unsatisfactory academic performance; teaching classes not included in the curriculum; use of student dormitories and student cafeterias, carrying out confirmation of learning outcomes.
By law, the fee amount for educational services may not exceed the costs necessary for the establishment and conduct of studies and the preparation and implementation of the university's strategy. The university is autonomous to determine fees to be charged before the start of recruitment as well as rules for application of waivers and reductions. Determination of fees requires consultation with the student government.
Until the students enrolled for a given academic year have completed their studies, the university may not introduce new fees, and may increase the amount of fees once per academic year and by no more than the total consumer price index for the previous calendar year, in total by no more than 30% of the amount of such fees. This does not apply to an increase in the amount of fees for courses not included in the program of study and for the use of student dormitories and student cafeterias. The amount of the fee for conducting confirmation of learning outcomes may not exceed its cost by more than 20%.
International students pay higher fees.
Partial exemption from tuition (fees) and fees related to the repetition of classes are available and subject to evaluation. Total or partial exemption from tuition fees only, is available for participation in international scholarship programs (e.g. Erasmus+). Partial exemption from any of the fees charged is possible in case the student does not receive benefits from the financial support fund and the financial or personal situation has not changed. A full or partial exemption is possible in case of emergency (armed conflicts taking place on the territory of countries whose citizens are students of the university).
Students may also apply for fee waivers or fee reductions for outstanding academic performance.
The decentralized process of data entry by individual universities may introduce limitations of the data reported accuracy as in some cases the data on fees may be limited to tuition only.

Annual grant amounts (in EUR)

Cycle
Type of Students
Status of Students
Type of Grants

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - GRANTS

Need and merit-based grants are available to home and international full and part-time students.
Data on amounts and shares is not available.
There are no age restrictions to be a grant beneficiary.

Annual loan amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - LOANS

Publicly subsidised loans are available to home full and part-time students who are under the age of 30 years
A student loan can be applied throughout the year.
International students with permanent residence permit, long-term residents of the European Union, refugees or holders of the Polish Card (Karta Polaka) can apply for the loan.

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

The care system for children aged up to 3 years does not provide for childcare settings other than crèches, kids’ clubs, day-care providers and nannies.

Read more about Home-based provision

Aims and accessibility

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

Read more about Educational guidelines

Steering documents

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

As their main tasks, crèches and kids’ clubs:

provide care to children in conditions similar to a family home;
provide appropriate care and education to children through the organisation of play activities with educational elements, while considering their individual needs;

Read more about Organisation of ECEC for Children aged up to 3 years

Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Admission requirements

Crèches, day-care providers and nannies provide care to children aged at least 20 weeks, and kids’ clubs take children aged at least 1 year. Children can attend such settings until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 3; where it is not possible or difficult for the child to participate in preschool education, the age limit is 4 years.

Read more about Organisation of ECEC for children aged 3 years and above

Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Read more about Access

Place guarantee in early childhood education and care (ECEC)

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

Care for children aged up to 3 years is a statutory task of the commune (gmina, the lowest-level local government unit). However, there is no guarantee in the legislation to provide a place at a childcare institution to children aged under 3 years.

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Poland

National Information

National Information

National Information

Minimum, maximum, and most common annual fee amounts (in EUR)

FEES

Annual grant amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - GRANTS

Annual loan amounts (in EUR)

DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT - LOANS

Further readings

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

Aims and accessibility

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

Steering documents

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Admission requirements

Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Place guarantee in early childhood education and care (ECEC)

ECEC for children aged up to 3 years

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